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THE GENERALS 



OF THE 



CONTINENTAL LINE 



IN THE 



REVOLUTIONARY WAR 



BY 

SIMON GRATZ 



Reprinted from the Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, 
October, igoj 



PHILADELPHIA 
1903 



THE GENERALS OF THE CONTINENTAL LINE 
IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR. 



For more than half a century the accepted list of gen- 
erals of the Revolutionary War commissioned by the Con- 
tinental Congress has been that originally given in Colonel 
Charles K. Gardner's "Dictionary of the Army of the 
United States." The statement that the list had been 
made from official sources, coupled with the fact that the 
author had for many years been the Assistant Adjutant- 
General of the United States, naturally induced the l)elief 
that it could be relied on as complete and exact. 

It contains the names of James Wilkinson, the Chevalier 
de la Neuville, Moses Hazen, and Thaddeus Kosciuszko, 
who were commissioned brigadier-generals by brevet at 
various times prior to November 3, 1783; and of Stephen 
Moylan, Samuel Elbert, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, and 
William Russell, who received like commissions on No- 
vember 3, 1783, under the provisions of a resolution of 
Congress passed September 30, 1783. 

So far as regards the generals who had ftdl rank, there is 
no omission of names; and until a comparatively late day 



2 Generals of the Continental Line in the Revolutionary War. 

there was no reason to doubt that it contained the names 
of all who had obtained the rank of brigadier-general by 
brevet. The accidental discovery and exhibition of a com- 
mission issued to Colonel Lewis Nicola, giving him brevet 
rank as a brigadier-general under the provisions of the 
resolution mentioned, started an inquiry which will now 
be made with the view of determining, as exhaustively and 
accurately as possible, the names of all generals who re- 
ceived brevet rank under authority of the Continental Con- 
gress. Manifestly, if any such names are to form part of 
the list, it should embrace all. 

As all records of the commissions issued by authority of 
the resolution referred to were lost on the night of Novem- 
ber 8-9, 1800, by the burning of the building occupied by 
the War Department, little information on the subject can 
be had from an official source. The inquiry must, there- 
fore, be made on the lines followed in this paper. 

The full text of the resolution of September 30, 1783, is 
as follows : 

" Besolved, That the Secretary at War issue to all officers 
in the army, under the rank of Major-General, who hold 
the same rank now that they held in the year 1777, a 
brevet commission one grade higher than their present 
rank, having respect to their seniority ; and that commis- 
sions for full colonels be granted to the lieutenant-colonels 
of 1777, the resolution of 27th May, 1778, notwith- 
standing." 

The Journals of Congress show that on November 3, 
1783, "on a report from the Secretary of War, to whom 
was referred a letter from Colonel Moylan : Resolved, 
That Colonel Stephen Moylan, Colonel Samuel Elbert, 
Colonel Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, and Colonel Wil- 
liam Russell be promoted to the rank of brigadiers by 
brevet." As the report is not in existence, the character of 
its contents and the purpose of the Secretary in making it 
must be wholly conjectural. Perhaps he doubted whether 
the resolution gave him authority to issue the commissions 



Generals of the Continental Line in the Revolutionary War. 8 

without the formal approval of Congress ; perhaps he was 
uncertain whether Moylan and Russell, who, according to 
Gardner, had been " disbanded" — that is, " retired" or 
"furloughed" — in June, 1783, were within the scope of the 
resolution; though, if this were his reason, it is not easy 
to understand why the names of Elbert and Pinckney 
should have been coupled with them. 

However this may be, we know that the brevet commis- 
sions were ordered to be issued ; and during the entire 
remaining period of the existence of the Congress its Jour- 
nals do not contain a word in relation to the issue of any other 
commissions as brevet brigadier-generals by virtue of the 
resolution. 

It cannot be doubted that all officers who had undergone 
the hardships, trials, and perils of the war would, at its 
close, desire to leave the service with the highest rank ob- 
tainable. Hence there is a natural presumption that all 
colonels who, under the resolution, were entitled to the 
higher brevet commissions received them either upon ap- 
plication to the Secretary of War or without any applica- 
tion, and many such original commissions are in existence. 

Mr. F. B. Heitman, author of the " Historical Register of 
Officers of the Continental Army during the War of the 
Revolution," who has been connected with the Adjutant- 
General's office, as Chief of the Returns Division, for a 
great number of years, tells me he has every reason to 
believe that all colonels who came under the provisions of 
the resolution were commissioned as brigadier-generals by 
brevet ; and further says that, according to his recollection, 
Colonel Charles K. Gardner, who, as Assistant Adjutant- 
General in the early part of the nineteenth century, had 
personally known many of the officers who served in the 
Revolutionary War, had expressed to him the same belief. 

The requisites for the brevet commission were two : the 
officer must have held the rank of colonel in the year 1777, 
and he must still hold that rank in the army on September 
30, 1783. 



4 Generals of the Continental Line in the Revolutionary War. 

Leaving for separate consideration the names of those 
colonels who were " retired" during the year 1783, prior to 
the passage of the resolution, the list of those who were 
clearly entitled to the higher brevet rank is as follows : 

1. George Baylor. Lieutenant-colonel and aide-de-camp 
to General "Washington, August 15, 1775, to January 9, 
1777. Colonel of the Third Continental Dragoons, January 
9, 1777. 

This regiment was consolidated wdth the First Conti- 
nental Dragoons, November 9, 1782, Baylor retaining the 
command. Served to the close of the war. 

His original commission is in existence.^ 

2. Daniel Brodhead. Colonel of the Eighth Pennsyl- 
vania Regiment, March 12, 1777; to rank from September 
29, 1776. Transferred to the First Pennsylvania Regiment, 
January 17, 1781. Served to the close of the war, — that is, 
until the final disbandment of the army on ]!^ovember 3, 
1783. 

His original commission as brigadier-general by brevet 
is in existence. 

8. Richard Butler. Colonel of the Ninth Pennsylvania 
Regiment, June 7, 1777. Transferred to the Fifth Penn- 
sylvania Regiment, January 17, 1781, and to the Third 
Pennsylvania Regiment, January 1, 1783. Served to No- 
vember 3, 1783. 

His original commission is in existence. 

4. John Crane. Colonel of the Third Continental Ar- 
tillery, January 1, 1777. Transferred to corps of artillery, 
June 17, 1783. Served to the close of the war. 

His original commission is in existence. 

5. John Gibson. Colonel of the Sixth Virginia Regi- 
ment, October 25, 1777. Transferred to the Ninth Virginia 
Regiment, September 14, 1778, and to the Seventh Virginia 

' When an original commission is said to be in existence, it is to be 
understood, unless otherwise stated, that it has been seen by Mr. Heit- 
man or by the writer, and that it is a commission as brigadier-general 
by brevet under the resolution. 



Generals of the Continental Line in the Revolutionary War. 5 

Eegiment, February 12, 1781. Served to the close of the 
war. 

6. John Gunby. Colonel of the Seventh Maryland Regi- 
ment, April 17, 1777. Transferred to the Second Maryland 
Regiment, January 1, 1781. Served to the close of the war. 

In A. A. Gunby's sketch of the Revolutionary services 
of Colonel Gunby it is stated that " shortly after the close 
of the war he was given the title of brigadier-general." 
Also, that he was an original member of the Society of the 
Cincinnati for the State of Maryland; and that, in the 
minutes of that Society for July 5, 1784, " Brigadier-Gen- 
eral Gunby" is mentioned as being present. 

7. Richard Humpton. Colonel of the Eleventh Penn- 
sylvania Regiment, October 25, 1776. Transferred, suc- 
cessively, to the Tenth, Sixth, and Second Pennsylvania 
Regiments. Served to the close of the war. 

His original commission is in existence. 

8. Henry Jackson. Colonel of one of the sixteen addi- 
tional Continental regiments, — afterwards designated as the 
Sixteenth Massachusetts Regiment, — January 12, 1777. 
Transferred to the Ninth Massachusetts Regiment, January 
1, 1781, and to the Fourth Massachusetts Regiment, Janu- 
ary 1, 1783. Retained as colonel of the Continental or 
First American Regiment, November 3, 1783. Served to 
June 20, 1784. 

His commission as brevet brigadier-general, under the 
resolution, is of record in the "War Department. 

9. Michael Jackson. Colonel of the Eighth Massa- 
chusetts Regiment, January 1, 1777. Transferred to the 
Third Massachusetts Regiment, June 12, 1783. Served to 
November 3, 1783. 

10. Monsieur de Laumoy. French officer, commissioned 
as colonel of engineers, November 17, 1777. Served to 
October 10, 1783. On the latter date Congress adopted 
the following resolution : 

" Resolved, That Major-General Duportail, Brigadier- 
General Laumoy, and Colonel Gouvion, who have served 



6 Generals of the Continental Line in the Revolutionary War. 

with distinguished merit in the department of engineers, 
have leave to retire from the service of the United States, 
their afiairs requiring their presence in Europe, and no ar- 
rangements having yet been made by which Congress might 
employ the abilities of these gentlemen, however desirous 
they might be of their services." 

11. George Mathews. Colonel of the Ninth Virginia 
Regiment, February 10, 1777. Wounded and taken 
prisoner at Germantown, October 4, 1777. Exchanged 
December 5, 1781. Served to the close of the war. 

The late Colonel Charles C. Jones, the historian of 
Georgia, told me that, after a careful and thorough inquiry 
to ascertain whether Mathews had been made a brigadier- 
general by brevet in the Continental service, he was con- 
vinced such was the case. His principal reason for this 
belief lay in the fact that when Mathews came to Georgia, 
from Virginia, at the close of the year 1783, — not in 1785, 
as stated in Appleton, — he was called and recognized as 
General Mathews. 

12. John Nevill (or Neville). Colonel of the Eighth 
Virginia Regiment, December 11, 1777. Transferred to the 
Fourth Virginia Regiment, September 14, 1778. Served to 
November 8, 1783. 

His commission as brigadier-general by brevet, under the 
resolution, is in the possession of the family. 

13. Matthiaa Ogden. Colonel of the First New Jersey 
Regiment, January 1, 1777. On April 21, 1783, Congress 
granted him leave to visit Europe. All the biographical 
dictionaries mention the fact that he received the commis- 
sion of brigadier-general by brevet. 

14. Elisha Sheldon. Colonel of the Second Continental 
Dragoons, December 12, 1776. Served to the close of the 
war. 

15. Heman Swift. Colonel of the Connecticut State 
Regiment, July to December, 1776. Colonel of the Seventh 
Connecticut Regiment, January 1, 1777. Transferred to 
the Second Connecticut Regiment, January 1, 1781. Ro- 



Genet'ols of the Continental Line in the Revolutionary War. 7 

tained as colonel of the Consolidated Connecticut Regiment, 
June, 1783. Served to December, 1783. 
His original commission is in existence. 

16. Philip Van Cortlaudt. Colonel of the Second New 
York Regiment, N'ovember 21, 1776. Served to the close 
of the war. Appleton (" Cyclopaedia of American Biogra- 
phy") says, " After the disbandment of the army at the 
peace, Congress gave him the rank of brigadier-general." 
Drake says that he was promoted to the rank of brigadier- 
general, but erroneously states that the promotion was 
made on account of his gallant conduct at Yorktown. 

17. Gozen (or Gosse) Van Schaick. Colonel of the 
Second New York Regiment, June 28, 1775. Colonel of 
the First New York Regiment, March 8, 1776. Served to 
the close of the war. Drake (" Dictionary of American 
Biography") states that he was appointed a brigadier-gen- 
eral by brevet on October 10, 1783. Blake (" Biographical 
Dictionary") says he was a brigadier-general in the Ameri- 
can Revolutionary army. 

18. Joseph Vose. Colonel of the First Massachusetts 
Regiment, January 1, 1777. Served to November, 1783. 
Appleton says he was brevetted brigadier-general. Mr. 
Heitman tells me that the records of the War Department 
show that he was so addressed by the Department. 

19. Samuel B. Webb. Lieutenant-colonel and aide-de- 
camp to General Washington, June 21, 1776. Colonel of 
one of the sixteen additional Continental regiments, Janu- 
ary 11, 1777. Transferred to the Third Connecticut Regi- 
ment, January 1, 1781. Served to November 13, 1783. 

The following extract from " Reminiscences of General 
Samuel B. Webb, of the Revolutionary Army," is, of itself, 
sufficient proof that the commission was issued to him. 

" A Committee of Officers to General Wehh. 
" A number of Brigadier-General Sam'l B. Webb's par- 
ticular and real friends present to him their respectftil 
compliments, and inform him that they have possessed 



8 Genei^als of the Gontinmtal Line in the Revolutionary War. 

themselves of a large Packet addressed to liim by his new 
Title, and which contains the Commission from Congress 
to justify the Title, fav'd by Honorable Samuel Hvmting- 
ton. They would further inform the General, that if it 
should be agreeal)le to him, and he is disengaged, that a 
number of his friends (perhaps a dozen) propose to wait on 
him this evening with the Packet, and with their Compli- 
ments of Congratulation on the happy event, and to testify, 
jointly and severally, how much they rejoice in his pro- 
motion. 

"Wednesday, 11 o'clock. Nov. 15, 1783." 

"We come now to the consideration of those colonels 
who, having been " retired" during the year 1783, prior to 
September 30, were entitled to the brevet rank given by 
the resolution. 

After the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown on Oc- 
tober 19, 1781, it became apparent that the war was draw- 
ing near its close. In fact, this surrender of the main 
British army in America practically closed active hostili- 
ties, though the independence of the United States was not 
formally acknowledged by Great Britain until more than a 
year afterwards (November 30, 1782), nor the treaty of 
peace concluded until September 3, 1783. 

The consolidation of depleted regiments, involving the 
retirement from active service of many officers, w^as at once 
commenced, economy in the public expenditures demand- 
ing that it be done as speedily as possible. 

On December 19, 1781, Congress passed a resolution re- 
questhig the Commander-in-Chief to inform the Secretary of 
War, from time to time, of the number of general officers 
whom he judged necessary to be in the field in the main 
and separate armies ; and that, after such officers had been 
designated by the Secretary of War, all others should be 
considered as being on the half-pay establishment, but liable 
to be called into the field. 

On August 7, 1782, Congress directed that the Secretary 
of War should, on or before January 1, 1783, effect such a 



Generals of the Continental Line in the Revolutionary War. 9 

consolidation of the non-commissioned officers and privates 
belonging to the lines of the respective States as would 
form complete regiments or regiments of not less than five 
hundred rank and file, drawing from the junior regiments 
to fill the senior regiments ; that the officers of the line of 
each State should meet and agree and determine upon the 
officers who should remain in ser^dco to command the 
troops so arranged into new regiments; that, in default of 
such agreement, the junior officers of each grade should 
retire ; and that the officers so retiring should retain their rank 
in the army, and he called into the service, from time to time, 
according to seniority, in case of deficiencies of officers. 

On May 26, 1783, Congress passed a resolution instruct- 
ing the Commander-in-Chief " to grant furloughs to the 
non-commissioned officers and soldiers in the service of the 
United States, enlisted to serve during the war, who shall 
be discharged as soon as the definitive treaty of peace is 
concluded, together •wath a proportionable number of com- 
missioned officers of the different grades." 

In compliance with this direction, General Washington 
issued a general order in June, 1783, under which the 
greater part of the army was furloughed, and so remained 
until final discharge from service. 

On October 18, 1783, Congress adopted a proclamation 
directing that the entire army standing engaged to serve 
during the war should be absolutely discharged from ser- 
vice on and after November 3, 1783; and also declaring 
that, as " the further services in the field of the officers who are 
deranged and on furlough . . . can now be dispensed with, ih&j 
have full permission to retire from service." 

It will be seen that, by the express language of the reso- 
lution of August 7, 1782, officers retiring under its provi- 
sions retained their rank in the army, and were subject to be 
called into service if occasion required. The word " re- 
tired" must, therefore, be interpreted to mean " temporarily 
relieved from active duty;" as, in view of what has been 
said, it is capable of no other signification, and cannot 



10 Generals of the Continental Line in the Revolutionary War. 

possibly be considered as the equivalent of "left the ser- 
vice." 

The most conclusive proof that the right of these officers 
to the brevet rank allowed by the resolution of September 
30, 1783, was fully equal to that of the officers who con- 
tinued in active serAdce until the disbandment of the army, 
and was so recognized by the Secretary of War, rests in the 
fact that the original commissions as brigadier-generals by 
brevet, issued under the authority of the resolution to Colo- 
nel Walter Stewart, who was retired on January 1, 1783, 
and Colonel Lewis Nicola, who was retired in June, 1783, 
are in existence. That these commissions were given in 
strict conformity with the provisions of the resolution will 
be apparent when we remember that they were to issue " to 
all officers in the arrnxf^ who then held the same rank that they 
held in the year 1777. There was no restriction of brevet 
rank to those who were in active service. All who were in 
the army, whether in active service or temporarily retired 
from it, were on the same footing under the resolution. 

In the face of such positive evidence there can be no 
occasion for further pursuing an inquiry into the status of 
such officers, and we pass at once to the consideration of 
the names of the remaining colonels who, having held that 
rank in the year 1777, retained it in continuous service 
until retired between January 1 and June 12, 1783. 

20. Thomas Clark. Colonel of the First North Carolina 
Regiment, February 5, 1777. Retired January 1, 1783. 

His descendants state that the commission of brigadier- 
general by brevet was issued to him. 

21. Christian Febiger. Colonel of the Second Virginia 
Regiment, September 26, 1777. Retired January 1, 1783. 

His great-grandson, Mr. Christian C. Febiger, writes me, 
" Colonel Febiger always preferred that title, as by it his 
friends knew him best; but he was granted the title of 
brigadier-general when discharged at the close of the war. 
When my grandfather moved from this city (Philadelphia) 
to Pittsburgh, the trunk containing this commission, and 



Generals of the Continental Line in the Revolutionary War. 11 

many others of Colonel Febiger's papers, was unfortunately 
lost." Appleton states that he was brevetted brigadier- 
general on September 30, 1783. 

22. John Lamb. Colonel of the Second Continental 
Artillery, January 1, 1777. Retired June 17, 1783. 

It was the hope and expectation of Lamb's friends that, 
for his valuable services at Yorktown in September and 
October, 1781, Congress would give him the rank of briga- 
dier-general (see Leake's " Life of Lamb"). This, however, 
was not done, and it was a bitter disappointment to him. 
After the war his occupations were entirely in the civil line. 
He had no connection with the militia of his State. From 
the fact that, immediately following the close of the war, 
he was known as General Lamb, and was always so ad- 
dressed, there can be no doubt that he received the brevet 
commission under the resolution. 

The writer has seen several letters of this period — ^No- 
vember, 1783, to March, 1784— written by Lamb, which 
bear the endorsement " General Lamb." 

23. Lewis Mcola. Colonel of the Invalid Regiment, 
June, 1777. Retired June, 1783. 

His original commission is in existence. 

24. William Shepard. Colonel of the Third Continental 
Infantry, October 2, 1776. Colonel of the Fourth Massa- 
chusetts Regiment, January 1, 1777. Retired January 1, 

1783. 

The Journals of Congress show that, on December 4, 
1782, an effort was made to secure his promotion to the 
rank of brigadier-general. Allen (" American Biographical 
Dictionary") says he was made a brigadier-general in 1783. 

25. Walter Stewart. Colonel of the Pennsylvania State 
Regiment,— afterwards called the Thirteenth Pennsylvania 
Regiment,— June 17, 1777. Transferred to the Second 
Pennsylvania Regiment, July 1, 1778. Retired January 1, 

1783. 

His commission from Congress as brigadier-general by 
brevet, dated October 10, 1783, is in the possession of his 



12 Generals of the Continenial Line in the Revolutionary War. 

descendant, Major Richard Church, of Belvidere, Alle- 
gany County, New York. 

26. Benjamin Tupper. Colonel of the Eleventh Massa- 
chusetts Regiment, July 7, 1777. Transferred to the Tenth 
Massachusetts Regiment, January 1, 1781, and to the Sixth 
Massachusetts Regiment, January 1, 1783. Served to June 
12, 1783. Both Drake and Appleton say he received the 
commission of brigadier-general by brevet. 

The list is now completed; but before closing this in- 
quiry it will be well to mention several names which may 
be thought to have a claim for inclusion. 

According to Appleton, Da\ad Cobb was a brevet briga- 
dier-general at the close of the war. As he had not, at 
any time prior to 1783, held a higher rank than that of 
lieutenant-colonel, it is clear that he did not come within 
the provisions of the resolution ; and it is certain that no 
such promotion was given him by any special resolution 
of Congress. All efibrts to learn whether the statement in 
Appleton is well founded having failed, we are forced to the 
conclusion that it is an error arising from the fact that 
shortly after the war Cobb was a major-general of militia. 

Thomas Craig (colonel of the Third Pennsylvania Regi- 
ment, August 1, 1777. Retired January 1, 1783) and 
Charles Harrison (colonel of the First Continental Artillery, 
January 1, 1777. Retired June 17, 1783), though appar- 
ently entitled to the brevet rank under the resolution, did 
not, so far as can be ascertained, receive it. 

There remains for consideration the supposed right of 
Richard Caswell, Governor of North CaroHna 1777-1779, 
to a place among the major-generals in the Continental line. 

On September 25, 1778, Congress " Resolved, That in case 
Governor Caswell shall find it consistent with the duties of 
his station, and shall be inclined, to march to the aid of 
South Carolina and Georgia, at the head of the North 
Carolina forces, he shall, while on this expedition, have the 
rank and pay of Major-General in the Army of the United 
States of America." 



Generals of the Continental Line in the Bevolutionar)/ War. 13 

K, while he was governor, he had led the North Carolina 
forces to the aid of the States named, he would certainly 
have been entitled to the rank given by the resolution, 
even though its duration was limited to the time of his 
absence on the expedition. But it was not until the year 
1780, after he had ceased to he govenwr, that he commanded 
the ]!Torth Carolina troops who were engaged, under General 
Gates, in the Southern campaign, and who took part in 
the disastrous battle of Camden, 

The terms of the resolution therefore preclude the con- 
clusion that this service gave him the rank of major-general 
in the Continental army. 

Complete List of Generals of the Revolutionary War, 

ACCORDING TO RaNK AND SENIORITY, WITH THEIR RE- 
SPECTIVE Terms of Service in Each Rank held by 

THEM. 

Geiwal and Commander-in-Chief. 

George Washington. June 15, 1775, to December 23, 
1783. 

3Iajor- Generals. 

Artemas Ward. June 17, 1775, to April 23, 1776 (when 

he resigned). 
Charles Lee. June 17, 1775, to January 10, 1780 (when he 

was dismissed). 
Philip Schuyler. June 19, 1775, to April 19, 1779 (when 

he resigned). 
Israel Putnam. June 19, 1775, to June 3, 1783 (when he 

was retired). 
Richard Montgomery. December 9, 1775, to December 31, 

1775 (when he was killed). 
John Thomas. March 6, 1776, to June 2, 1776 (when he 

died). 
Horatio Gates. May 16, 1776, to November 3, 1783. 
William Heath. August 9, 1776, to November 3, 1783. 
Joseph Spencer. August 9, 1776, to January 13, 1778 

(when he resigned). 



14 Generals of the Continental Line in the Revolutionary War. 

John Sullivan. August 9, 1776, to November 30, 1779 

(when he resigned). 
ISTathaiiael Greene. August 9, 1776, to ISTovember 3, 1783. 
Benedict Arnold. February 17, 1777, to September 25, 

1780 (when he deserted to the enemy). 
WilHam Alexander, Lord Stirling. February 19, 1777, to 

January 15, 1783 (when he died). 
Thomas Mifflin. February 19, 1777, to February 25, 1779 

(when he resigned). 
Arthur St. Clair. February 19, 1777, to November 3, 

1783. 
Adam Stephen. February 19, 1777, to November 20, 1777 

(when he was dismissed). 
Benjamin Lincoln. February 19, 1777, to October 29, 

1783. 
Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Dumotier, Marquis 

de Lafayette. July 31, 1777, to November 3, 1783. 
Philippe Du Coudray. August 11, 1777, to September 15, 

1777 (when he was drowned). 
John, Baron de Kalb. September 15, 1777, to August 19, 

1780 (when he died from wounds). 
Robert Howe. October 20, 1777, to November 3, 1783. 
Alexander McDougall. October 20, 1777, to November 3, 

1783. 
Thomas Conway. December 13, 1777, to April 28, 1778 

(when he resigned). 
Friedrich Wilhelm August Heinrich Ferdinand, Baron 

Steuben. May 6, 1778, to April 16, 1784. 
William Smallwood. September 15, 1780, to November 3, 

1783. 
Samuel Holden Parsons. October 23, 1780, to July 22, 

1782 (when he was retired). 
Henry Knox. November 15, 1781, to June 20, 1784. 
The Chevalier Louis Lebegue Duportail. November 16, 

1781, to October 10, 1783. 
William Moultrie. October 15, 1782, to November 3, 

1783. 



Generals of the Gmtinenial Line in the Revolutionary War. 15 

Major- Generals hy Brevet. 

Under the Operation of the Resolution of September 30, 1783. 

(Their terms of service vAW appear in the list containing 
their names as brigadier-generals.) 

James Clinton. George Weedon. 

Lachlan Mcintosh. George Clinton. 

John Glover. Edward Hand. 

John Paterson. Charles Scott. 

Anthony Wayne. Jedediah Huntington. 

John Philip DeHaas. John Stark. 
Peter Muhlenberg. 

Brigadier- Generals. 

Horatio Gates. June 17, 1775, to May 16, 1776 (when he 

was promoted). 
John Thomas. June 22, 1775, to March 6, 1776 (when he 

was promoted). 
Eichard Montgomery. June 22, 1775, to December 9, 

1775 (when he was promoted). 
David Wooster. June 22, 1775, to May 2, 1777 (when he 

died from wounds). 
William Heath. June 22, 1775, to August 9, 1776 (when 

he was promoted). 
Joseph Spencer. June 22, 1775, to August 9, 1776 (when 

he was promoted). 
John Sullivan. June 22, 1775, to August 9, 1776 (when 

he was promoted). 
Nathanael Greene. June 22, 1775, to August 9, 1776 

(when he was promoted). 
Seth Pomeroy. June 22, 1775. Declined the appoint- 
ment, and was superseded on July 19, 1775. 
Joseph Frye. January 10, 1776, to April 23, 1776 (when 

he resigned from infirmity). 
Benedict Arnold. January 10, 1776, to February 17, 1777 

(when he was promoted). 



16 Generals of the Continental Line in the Revolutionary War. 

John Armstrong. March 1, 1776, to April 4, 1777 (when 

he resigned). 
WiUiam Thompson. March 1, 1776, to September 3, 1781 

(when he died). 
Andrew Lewis. March 1, 1776, to April 15, 1777 (when 

he resigned). 
James Moore. March 1, 1776, to April 9, 1777 (when he 

died). 
William Alexander, Lord Stirling. March 1, 1776, to 

February 19, 1777 (when he was promoted). 
Robert Howe. March 1, 1776, to October 20, 1777 (when 

he was promoted). 
Friedrich Wilhelm, Baron de Woedtke. March 16, 1776, 

to July 28, 1776 (when he died). 
Thomas Mifflin. May 16, 1776, to February 19, 1777 

(when he was promoted). 
John Whetcomb. June 5, 1776. Declined the appoint- 
ment. 
Hugh Mercer. June 5, 1776, to January 11, 1777 (when 

he died from wounds). 
James Reed. August 9, 1776, to September, 1776 (when 

he resigned from infirmity). 
John Mxon. August 9, 1776, to September 12, 1780 

(when he resigned). 
Arthur St. Clair. August 9, 1776, to February 19, 1777 

(when he was promoted). 
Alexander McDougall. August 9, 1776, to October 20, 

1777 (when he was promoted). 
Samuel Holden Parsons. August 9, 1776, to October 23, 

1780 (when he was promoted). 
James CUnton. August 9, 1776, to iSTovember 3, 1783. 
Adam Stephen. September 4, 1776, to February 19, 1777 

(when he was promoted). 
Christopher Gadsden. September 16, 1776, to October 2, 

1777 (when he resigned). 
William Moultrie. September 16, 1776, to October 15, 

1782 (when he was promoted). 



Generals of the Continental Line in the Revolutionary War. 17 

Laclilan Mcintosh. September 16, 1776, to November 3, 
1783. 

William Maxwell. October 23, 1776, to July 25, 1780 
(when he resigned), 

WilHam Smallwood. October 23, 1776, to September 15, 
1780 (when he was promoted). 

The Chevalier Matthias Alexis de Roche Fermoy. No- 
vember 5, 1776, to January 31, 1778 (when he re- 
signed). 

The Chevalier De Preudhomme De Borre. December 1, 
1776, to September 14, 1777 (when he resigned). 

Henry Knox. December 27, 1776, to November 15, 1781 
(when he was promoted). 

Francis Nash. February 5, 1777, to October 17, 1777 
(when he died from wounds). 

John Cadwalader. February 21, 1777. Declined the ap- 
pointment. 

Enoch Poor. February 21, 1777, to September 8, 1780 
(when he died). 

John Glover. February 21, 1777 to July 22, 1782 (when 
he was retired). 

John Paterson. February 21, 1777, to November 3, 1783. 

Anthony Wayne. February 21, 1777, to November 3, 
1783. 

James M. Varnum. February 21, 1777, to March 5, 1779 
(when he resigned). 

John Philip Dellaas. February 21, 1777, to , 1783 

(when he was retired). 

WilHam Woodford. February 21, 1777, to November 13, 
1780 (when he died). 

Peter Muhlenberg. February 21, 1777, to November 3, 
1783. 

George Weedon. February 21, 1777, to June, 1783 (when 
he was retired). 

George Clinton. March 25, 1777, to November 3, 1783. 

Edward Hand. April 1, 1777, to November 3, 1783. 

Charles Scott. April 1, 1777, to November 3, 1788. 



18 Generals of the Continental Line in the Revolutionary War. 

Ebenezer Learned. April 2, 1777, to March 24, 1778 

(when he resigned). 
Jedediah Huntington. May 12, 1777, to November 3, 1783. 
Joseph Reed. May 12, 1777, to June 9, 1777 (when he 

declined the appointment). 
Thomas Conway. May 13, 1777, to December 13, 1777 

(when he was promoted). 
Casimir, Count Pulaski. September 15, 1777, to October 

11, 1779 (when he died from wounds). 
John Stark. October 4, 1777, to November 3, 1783. 
The Chevalier Louis Lebegue Duportail. November 17, 

1777, to November 16, 1781 (when he was promoted). 
Jethro Sumner. January 9, 1779, to November 3, 1783. 
James Hogun. January 9, 1779, to January 4, 1781 (when 

he died). 
Isaac Huger. January 9, 1779, to November 3, 1783. 
Mordecai Gist. January 9, 1779, to November 3, 1783. 
Wilham Irvine. May 12, 1779, to November 3, 1783. 
Daniel Morgan. October 13, 1780, to November 3, 1783. 
Otho Holland WilUams. May 9, 1782, to January 16, 1783 

(when he was retired). 
John Greaton. January 7, 1783, to November 3, 1783. 
Rufus Putnam. January 7, 1783, to November 3, 1783. 
Elias Dayton. January 7, 1783, to November 3, 1783. 
Charles Tufin Armand, Marquis de la Rouarie, March 26, 

1783, to November 3, 1783. 

Brigadier-Generals by Brevet. 
Under Various Resolutions of Congress. 

James Wilkinson. November 6, 1777, to March 6, 1778 
(when he resigned). 

The Chevalier de la Neuville. August 14, 1778, to Decem- 
ber 4, 1778 (when he was permitted to leave the ser- 
vice). 

Moses Hazen. June 29, 1781, to January 1, 1783 (when 
he was retired). 



Generals of the Continental Line in the Revolutionary War. 19 

Thaddeus Kosciuszko. October 13, 1783, to November 3, 

1783. 
Stephen Mojlan, November 3, 1783. 
Samuel Elbert. November 3, 1783. 
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney. November 3, 1783. 
William Russell. November 3, 1783. 



Under the Resolution of September 30, 1783. 



George Baylor. 
Daniel Brodhead. 
Richard Butler. 
Thomas Clark. 
John Crane. 
Christian Febiger. 
John Gibson. 
John Gunby. 
Richard Humpton. 
Henry Jackson. 
Michael Jackson. 
John Lamb. 
Monsieur deLaumoy. 



George Mathews. 

John Nevill (or Neville). 

Lewis Nicola. 

Mathias Ogden. 

Elisha Sheldon. 

William Shepard. 

Walter Stewart. 

Heman Swift. 

Benjamin Tupper. 

Philip Van Cortlandt. 

Gozen (or Gosse) Van Schaick. 

Joseph Vose. 

Samuel B. Webb. 



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